Paula Miller, director of Westlake Porter Public Library for the past 13 years, is leaving to become executive director of Pikes Peak Library District in Colorado. (Photo by Kevin Kelley

Miller to leave Porter Library in February
Director to lead 12-branch system in Colorado
By Kevin Kelley
Westlake
Published Jan. 04, 2006

Paula Miller, who has led Westlake Porter Public Library to several national awards during her 13-year tenure as director, is leaving to become executive director of Pikes Peak Library District in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Miller, 52, beat out more than 35 applicants for the job, including several who came from much larger library systems.

Miller will begin the $120,000-a-year position — a $30,000 increase over her current salary — in mid-February.

The Pikes Peak library system has 12 branches and 360 employees. It serves 508,000 people and has an annual budget of $21 million. The system plans to build four to six new branches over the next decade, Miller said.

“We were looking for someone who is passionate about libraries, active in the community and engaging with the citizens, and Paula has exemplified that,” Pikes Peak Library Board President Aje Sakamoto told the Colorado Springs Gazette. “We’re really excited to have someone of her caliber join our community.”

Miller told West Life the decision to leave Westlake was very difficult.

“In fact it made me physically sick for a while,” she said. “It’s a melancholy time because I so enjoy the people here.”

Miller said she loves living and working here, but the Colorado job is a very good opportunity. She praised the library board and the Friends of Porter Library for their support over the years.

In addition to being a growing area, Colorado Springs is a very art oriented, Miller said. That will be very beneficial to her husband, Jay, who is a full-time artist. Jay, who teaches part time at Lorain County Community College, and her teenage son will continue living in the area through the end of the school year before joining Miller in Colorado. Miller has two other grown sons.                  

During Miller’s tenure at Porter, the library passed four election levies. Porter also completed a $10.5 million renovation and expansion project, something Miller sees as the library’s most visible accomplishment during her leadership.

Since Miller became director in the fall of 1992, the library grew along with the community, she said.

“The usage grew constantly over that entire period,” she said, noting roughly 1.3 million items were borrowed in 2005 compared to about 600,000 in 1992. The library also entered the Internet era and introduced more electronic services during that time period, Miller added.

This fall, Porter was named number one in the nation in its population category (25,000 to 50,000) by Hennen’s American Public Library Rankings (HAPLR). The library has been in the top 10 in its population category since the HAPLR list was established. The rankings were based on 2003 usage and service data, including circulation, materials, reference service, number of visitors, staffing levels, and funding.

“That was thrilling when that was announced (last) year,” Miller told West Life.

Scene Magazine named Porter “Best Library” in its 2005 “Best of Cleveland” list in September. The magazine cited Porter’s “sleek, state of the art” building, numerous copies of bestsellers, the depth and breadth of the library’s CD and DVD collections, free Wi-Fi access, new reading gardenand café as reasons for the honor.

A native of Kent, Ohio, Miller received her bachelor’s degree from Kent State University and a master’s degree in library and information science from the University of Maryland. She was administrator of the Eastern Shore Regional Library in Maryland before coming to Porter.

Miller, who served as president of the Westshore Chamber of Commerce from 2004 to 2005, was asked to consider applying for the Pikes Peak job by a recruiting firm based on Porter’s recent success.

Miller said her first goal in Colorado will be to get a good sense of what the needs of the community there are.

“I think library needs can vary from community to community,” she said.

The Porter Board of Trustees will meet Jan. 11 to discuss finding a successor to Miller.

MOURNING A LOSS: Employees at Westlake Porter Public Library are mourning the death of co-worker Carole Patmos, 63, who died suddenly of a heart attack late last month. Patmos worked full time at Porter for nearly 20 years, Miller said. While she began at the circulation desk, in recent years she worked behind the scenes in the technical services area.

Patmos was responsible for initiating and running the food drive at the library in conjunction with the city’s Community Services Department.

“She was a very positive, funny, dedicated employee and friend to all of the staff here,” Miller said.

Patmos was a big fan of Elvis Presley, Miller said, and the staff played The King’s “Love Me Tender” over the library PA system Dec. 29, the day of her funeral, in her honor.